KOTA KINABALU: Law firms in Sabah have been allowed to open for five days a week from 10am to 4pm although the state is still limiting business operations and public movement under phase four of the movement control order (MCO).
Sabah Law Society (SLS) president Roger Chin confirmed the permission given to SLS members by the state Covid-19 command centre.
He said this was in line with the announcement by the chief registrar of the Federal Court that cases would be set for hearing in open court in stages beginning May 13.
“They can open their firms, but we are urging members not to do so until the end of the present MCO,” he told FMT.
“There is no need to open if there is nothing urgent. We want to support the state government’s decision not to follow the conditional movement control order (CMCO).”
He was referring to Chief Minister Shafie Apdal’s announcement yesterday that Sabah would not implement the CMCO.
Separately, a group representing express bus operators called for the government to provide diesel subsidies, disinfection equipment and permission to raise fares by 30% to make up for the drop in passengers if they are given the green light to resume operations.
Sabah Express Bus Operators Council president Donald Hanafi said this ahead of the decision expected by the state infrastructure development ministry tomorrow.
He said express bus operators had been grounded since the restriction on inter-district travel under the MCO on March 18.
He said his association had met with the permanent secretary of the infrastructure development ministry who had asked them about their readiness to resume operations.
“Our response was, we have been ready since we were grounded on March 18.”
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